1 Peter 3 Devotion Sharing

What do people fear? People fear rejection, ridicule, being truly known, and ultimately death.

What reason does a Christian have for not fearing what people fear? The reason a Christian does not fear what others fear is because the Christian believes in life after death, which is made possible through the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the early Christians faced persecution and suffering to the point of being killed for their convictions in the gospel, what drove them to stand up for their beliefs was the confidence they had in the promise of eternal life.

Personally, as a Christian living in America I realize how much I take freedom of religion for granted as Christians in other parts of the world today continue to face daily persecution and suffering for bearing the name of Christ. As I examine the areas of my life where I could potentially give into my fears, I can think of a few specific areas. First, in area of confession I realize how much more I can be honest in my prayers to God in asking Him to forgive me for my transgressions and sins I commit against Him and others. Additionally, in the area of confessing sins to others, I know I can do much more to live out James 5:16 which states, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” It’s such a counter-cultural exhortation in comparison to our society today which encourages the promotion of self and hiding the truth of who we are as broken, fallen sinners. For me, confessing sins to others always entails some amount of fear and vulnerability, but as it says in v. 14 I don’t have to “fear what they fear” because I know that as shameful and ego-devastating as it is to divulge self-incriminating information regarding my sins, in the end, I can “die to myself” because of the hope that is made possible through the blood of Christ that cleanses and forgives me.

Secondly, I don’t have to fear what society fears in the future that is unknown, because I believe that God is my Provider who knows my needs and will meet them as long as I seek His kingdom and righteousness first as it says in Matthew 6:33-34. As I reflect on the past two years of serving in Austin, I’m amazed at how much God has blessed me by providing for my needs and allowing me to witness the work that He is doing within the hearts of the people He has brought to our church. In the world’s eyes, it’s impractical and foolish to take risks for God and to leave behind what is comfortable and stable, especially in the current economic crisis we find ourselves in, but as a Christian I don’t have to fear anything because as it says in v. 14, “…even if you should suffer what is right, you are blessed.” And even if that blessing is not manifested during my lifetime, I have the assurance that that blessing will be realized after I leave this earth.